Ask small business owners how their own year is going, and most say fine. Ask them about the economy, and the mood darkens. That is the split in a new survey from the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, an advocacy group, released Oct. 8.
The online poll of 516 owners of businesses with 2 to 99 employees was conducted Sept. 11–19 by TechnoMetrica and has a credibility interval of ±4.4 percentage points.
Their Own Businesses: Mostly Solid
- 81% say they are meeting or beating their financial expectations for 2026.
- 61% say business is better than in 2025, while 14% say it is worse.
- 88% describe their business as stable or growing.
- 51% expect to finish 2026 in better financial shape than 2025.
The Economy: More Worried
Inflation is the top concern, named by 39% of owners. Gas and energy costs jumped to second place at 29%, up from just 11% (ninth place) in February. Concern is rising across the board:
- 81% are concerned about inflation over the next 12 months, up from 73% in February. 37% are “very concerned,” up from 27%.
- 73% worry about a slowdown or recession, up from 59%.
- 54% say a lack of capital is holding back growth, up from 43%.
Owners also see customers tightening up. Over the past six months, 36% saw customer spending fall while 29% saw it rise. The most common changes: choosing cheaper options (34%), hunting for discounts (28%) and comparing prices more carefully (27%).
What’s Working
Among owners holding steady or improving, the top factors were stronger sales (38%), cutting costs (31%), adopting technology such as AI (28%) and social media marketing (27%). Social media also topped the list of ways to win new customers (28%), ahead of word of mouth (22%).
AI is now common: 58% say they use AI agents regularly or occasionally. On hiring, 30% expect to add staff in the next six months and just 4% expect cuts.
“The message from Main Street is one of resilience combined with economic realism,” said Karen Kerrigan, the group’s president and CEO.
The Fine Print
This is a single online survey by a pro-small-business advocacy group, and owners who are struggling most may be less likely to respond. It lines up with other recent data showing small businesses holding on while pulling back on hiring.
More on Contoh
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